Investigators spying on drivers saw some astonishing sights in just one hour.

A MAN practising his juggling while driving was one of the astonishing sights spotted by officers from Hertfordshire County Council in Stevenage.

In the space of an hour last Thursday morning at the junction of St George’s Way, Monkswood Way and Six Hills Way they also noted a catalogue of other bad behaviour.

They saw 38 drivers on mobile phones (including texting), nine drivers eating breakfast, four drivers adjusting CD/radio or satnav, three drivers reading, one driver putting on a cardigan, one driver with dog on lap, one driver writing on notepad on wheel, one driver applying make-up, one driver putting on necklace and one driver drinking a hot drink.

These figures are twice as bad as similar checks last year, with a noticeable increase in the number of people texting and using a hand held phone on speaker.

In 2009/10, over 4,350 drivers in Hertfordshire were fined and some picked up points on their licence for distraction driving-related offences.

Chief Inspector Donna Pierce of the strategic roads policing unit said: “We treat offences of driving while distracted, like use of a mobile phone or applying make-up, very seriously. Anyone found committing these crimes will be dealt with robustly.”